Category: Promotions

Heralding his return to the octagon against Daniel Cormier, Jon Jones has earned his BJJ Blue Belt. I say earned because it is not infrequent to hear of UFC fighters being promoted to black belt with doing little, to no training in the gi.

Jon Jones will face DC at UFC 214 July 29th in Anaheim, California. Daniel Cormier has the belt but never beat Jon. Jon wants to get his belt back.

One of the most decorated strikers in the world and UFC fighter Alistair Overeem seems to have been recently bitten by the Jiu-Jitsu bug.

He earned his blue belt in just three weeks! To us regular folk this sounds like an abhorrent disregard for the time honored tradition of being a white belt for (what feels like) ever.

According to the Valente Brothers system of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, their style is mostly self-defense as opposed to sport Jiu-Jitsu. They even recommend that students who come to them looking for sport BJJ, should perhaps try out other schools more geared toward that in Florida. That being said, it is not unusual at all for a UFC fighter to be fast-tracked to blue belt.

Some tournaments will not allow UFC fighters to compete as a white belt. It is assumed that because of their fight experience, they should have some sort of working knowledge of ground fighting.

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Ari Knazan was promoted to BJJ black belt on November 24, 2016 by his coach and mentor Keith Owen. Ari is the creator of the popular YouTube channel “Submissions 101”.

Ari has faced many internet criticisms in the past and because of that was held at brown belt for what I think is an extended period of time, but rightfully so if you believe in the wisdom of Keith Owen.

Here is an example of some of the criticisms:

1) Films him beating on his know nothing white belt students and gives them theme songs, and puts them in slow-mo matches.

2) Films his students competing and puts captions on the screen when they get some “super specific 10th PJJ move” that really i’snt super specific.

3) Doesn’t actually compete himself (or roll with anyone good for that matter).

4) Tries to act all innocent and nice on the internet like he means no harm, but its all a scam because he knowingly sat and argued with several BLACK BELTS over on the UG.

5) Filmed himself doing a technique blatantly wrong, and advised EVERYONE to do it that way, then when he got scolded by EVERYONE, he took the video down because of his embarrassment.

6) Tries to work over the BJJ community (First was Eddie Bravo, so he could avoid having to actually wear a white belt. Ironic since it was no gi, he didnt have to wear a white belt, and he NEVER actually claimed to be a white belt in 10th PJJ, he just said he had “no rank, and is working on his purple shirt”).

7) Lied and said his guys all competed Intermediate and Advanced when several other competitors have said they were all in Novice and Beginner divisions (again, Ari wouldnt compete because he had to focus on “Coaching”, which was ironic because I’ve seen several competitors coach, and compete at the same time).

8) Lied about having been formally trained in BJJ prior to Eddie Bravo, and him filming his instructional YouTube videos (then later came out and said he attended “a couple of seminars”, but he wouldn’t say who taught the seminars, or where.)

9) Even lies about some of the JJJ he offers (he never would give sources of where his Ninjitsu training was from).

10) Denied rolling at his Chicago seminar (which is why the attendance was so low).

Hater are gonna hate but Ari has weathered the storm! Hear him tell his story below.

In this new episode of the “The Evolution Of Punk”, CM Punk is eager to get back in the gym after a nagging shoulder injury. Once he’s finally cleared to train again, Punk makes positive strides and learns the name of his first opponent in the UFC. He takes the time to put on the gi, and after some time earns his first stripe!

Congrats to UFC Strawweight Fighter, Rose Namajunas and her fiancée former UFC fighter, Pat Barry. On Saturday at the 303 Training Center in Westminster, CO, Professor Tony Basile awarded Rose with her purple belt in BJJ and Pat with his blue belt.

Congrats to UFC Strawweight Fighter, Rose Namajunas and her fiancée former UFC fighter, Pat Barry. On Saturday at the…

There are many Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academies. Some promote their students via “the gauntlet” and others do not. The BJJ promotion gauntlet consists of fellow students whipping the newly promoted with their cloth belts.

In the video below UFC welterweight Tarec Saffedine receives the gauntlet treatment by his fellow teammates as he is promoted to Jiu Jitsu black belt!

What do you think? Is the BJJ gauntlet abusive? Or does it serve as a symbol of the pain involved in achieving a new belt rank?.